General

Jaitley announces new schemes for disabled

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Thursday announced some new schemes for disabled people.
Tabling the union budget 2014-15 in parliament,

Jaitley said: "Fifteen new Braille presses will be established and 10 existing ones will be revived."

Jaitley said the scheme to assist the disabled to purchase aids and appliances will be extended.

"I propose to extend the scheme for assistance to disabled persons for purchase of aids and appliances (ADIP) to include contemporary aids and assistive devices," he said.

Resources for visually impaired and homeless facing axe in Leicestershire

Resources for the visually impaired and the homeless are the latest public services facing the axe in Leicestershire.
Like all councils, Leicestershire has had to make savings over the last few years, as part of the government's drive to reduce public debt.

But charities that help vulnerable people in the community, say cutting their services isn't cost-effective. Jane Hesketh reports.

SOURCE: ITV

Advocates for blind, deaf want more from Apple

Advocates for the blind are debating whether to use a carrot or a stick to persuade one of their oldest allies, Apple Inc, to close an emerging digital divide in mobile technology.

As digital life increasingly moves to the world of smartphones and tablets, some disabled people with visual, hearing and other impairments are feeling more left out than ever.

MK Slomianski Trying to Increase Funding for Visually Impaired

In a special meeting in the Knesset in honor of National Blind Day on Tuesday, MK Nissan Slomianski (Jewish Home) said that he will act to acquire increased funding for servicesgeared towards those suffering from visual impairments.

Activist Pleads for Better Education for Deafblind

Zamir Dhale deftly opened his laptop and set up his PacMate as he prepared for a conversation. The PacMate (a Braille device) is just one of many ways with which he can communicate with others, scribbling on the palms being one of his favourites.

A leading activist for the deafblind in the country, 38-year-old Zamir is best known for training the likes of Amitabh Bachchan and Rani Mukherjee Chopra in tactile sign language for the acclaimed movie ‘Black’.

3-D Printing Enables Visually Impaired Children to Experience the World of Literary Classics

In the past year, 3-D printing has been experiencing major breakthroughs, and it promises even greater strides in the fields of sustainability, technology and medical research. Yet the technology is currently being pioneered for another purpose: to help visually impaired children understand the fantastical worlds depicted in classic literary works such as Goodnight Moon and Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?

WIPO Copyright Committee In Disarray Again; Development Dimension Questioned

For the second time this year, the World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee could not agree on the conclusions of its session or on any recommendation to be made to the September General Assembly on the protection of broadcasting organisations or the establishment of an international regime of exception and limitations for libraries and education.

For Your Eyes Only

Tiffany Maria Brar, is one of the speakers scheduled to deliver a motivational speech at a seminar for visually challenged persons. Much before the commencement of the programme, a sprightly young woman in her mid-twenties is present at the venue. She is greeted by the organisers and led to her seat. She came on her own. Though she is visually-challenged by birth, lone trips in a public transport bus are not new to her. From the bus station, she flips to places where she has to go.

Music is his window to the world

Music is his way of seeing the world. Sudhindra R, who's visually impaired by birth, has mastered the art of playing seven musical instruments, ranging from the mouth organ to snake charmer's flute. And all of it without a teacher to hand-hold him.

Make 'Talking Books' Available for Sightless

India has become the first country to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty to facilitate access to published works for the visually impaired. The treaty requires signatories to adopt national law provisions that facilitate the availability of published works in formats like Braille that are accessible to the blind and allow their exchange across borders by organisations working for the visually impaired. The Indian Copyright Act, 1957, did not have any provision for the conversion and distribution of books in accessible formats for such persons.